The Real Soldier
by KShiki
Summary: Four years have passed since the defeat of Sephiroth and the downfall of Shinra. Tifa finds herself living a happy life with her blonde comrade and friends; until a strikingly familiar face collapses, half dead, in front of 7th Heaven, bringing back memories, true enemies and darker secrets about the Shinra Electric Company that even the original President Shinra didn't know about.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: _

_This story is written, based from the movie Advent Children and the game Final Fantasy VII including Final Fantasy VII - Crisis Core as under the rightful ownership of the company, Square Enix. I do not own any of the characters created by Square Enix. My own OCs have been added to represent a different version that is entitled to my fiction. I hope you enjoy my work. I am open to all suggestions, reviews, etc. Please do not hesitate to be critical with my writing!  
Comments are greatly appreciated!_

_Background Info:_

_This fiction is written after the events of Advent Children. Themes revisit Final Fantasy VII and FFVII - Crisis Core, "with my own twist"._

_General Summary:_

_Four years have passed since the defeat of Sephiroth and the downfall of Shinra. Tifa finds herself living a happy life with her blonde comrade and friends; until a strikingly familiar face collapses, half dead, in front of 7th Heaven, bringing back memories, true enemies and darker secrets about the Shinra Electric Company that even the original President Shinra didn't know about._

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The sun was peaking in through the brown curtains as the red dials on the digital clock showed 2:06 pm. Tifa rolled over lazily and closed her eyes again. There was still the faint smell of beer soaked in the bed sheets from last night's...wild appointment. She took the pillow next to her and breathed into it, engulfing the leftover scent of Cloud's hair after his shower the night before. Tifa had never seen Cloud act like he did yesterday. It was unlike him, but she liked it. The space next to her on the bed was now empty. The blonde man must have had woken up earlier and left for work. She lifted the thin sheets still wrapped around her body.

_"Naked. Just like how we left it," _she smiled.

It wasn't a special occasion. But after Marlene and Denzel had gone to bed, Cloud pulled out two beers from the fridge, and that's when it started. What happened wasn't the first time either, but Tifa had never seen Cloud act like he did when he did it yesterday. And his voice had never satisfied her like that, and the way he touched her... Tifa felt a bruise on her waist. Cloud had been a bit rough last night.

Tifa gave a slight giggle and moaned. "Oh, Cloud...Cloud..." she rolled over and over in the large bed until she lost balance and fell to the floor, dragging the blankets and the clock with her. The clock glowed 2:10 pm.

"Shit."

She took everything with her and rushed to the bathroom; bed sheets, bra, underwear, clothes and boots and everything else still on the floor. No time to shower.

_"Dammit Cloud, why did you turn off the alarm?" _she half-smiled.

...

"Hi Tifa!"

Tifa stopped halfway down the stairs. Denzel and Marlene were together at the bar counter washing dishes.

"We didn't want to wake you up so we opened and watched the bar for you," Marlene continued.

"Yeah. We knew that you were probably a little tired from last night," Denzel added with a wink.

Tifa couldn't help blushing. She put her hands to her cheeks and felt the heat radiating from her embarrassment. Slowly, she proceeded down the stairs again, her feet stepping timidly on the wooden planks.

"You guys were kinda loud yesterday. You must have been having a lot of fun," Marlene giggled.

"Yeah. We thought you guys were having some sort of fight so Marlene made me go check on you but well...nevermind." Denzel explained, then he walked over to where Tifa was and whispered. "I had to tell Marlene that you guys were having a heck of a pillow fight. She wanted to join you but I told her that sometimes, adults like to have their own adult pillow fights. You know, the kind that's extra physical and involves some..." he thrust his hips.

"Ok...no." Tifa grabbed the dish rag from Denzel's hands and playfully slapped his head.

"Oh, and no worries. You didn't miss much business, it was a slow day. A little boring, if you ask me," Marlene laughed.

Denzel played with his hair. "We're taking a break now, though."

Tifa smirked. A 'slow day' usually meant a busy day. _That_ was usually Marlene's interpretation of a 'slow day'. Still, she couldn't deny the fact that there was nobody in the bar at the moment, although the sink was piled high with dishes.

"Ok you two, you've worked hard, go play, I'll clean up the rest of the dishes," Tifa replied._ "Letting two kids do all the work while I sleep, what a load of bull..."_

The kids bounded back upstairs. Tifa went to the door and turned over the sign back to [Open], ready for more business. Tifa switched on the radio then returned to the dishes. The water was unusually cold even though the tap had been turned to the highest temperature. She had not taken a shower this morning so that could not have been the reason. The radio crackled in response, loading in the faint voice of a radio host under the static.

_"That's odd.." _Tifa thought.

Normally, the radio would have been in perfect pitch alignment. There wouldn't have been any interference. Opening the fridge, she felt the inside shelves, everything was room temperature. Meat and milk would have been spoiled. Tifa wiped her hands on the towel and walked to the electrical settings.

Everything was plugged in. Not a single problem could be detected.

Unexpectedly, the radio boomed, the host's words became clear and steady.

"An announcement sent out an hour ago from the Shinra Electric Power Company states that Midgar's power and broadcasting frequencies will be under repair. The company is experiencing problems with a power source in the facility last night. A resource has been broken and is under current investigation. The Shinra Electric Power Company would like to offer an apology for the inconvenience and promises the restoration of their services as soon as possible. Thank you for trusting the Shinra Electric Power Company, we are always at your service. For more questions of our company or inquiry about this incident please reach us at 1-800-35..."

The radio blanked out again, nothing but static. Tifa turned off the radio.

After the Lifestream protected the planet from the meteor a few years ago, Shinra's company could no longer use it as a source of energy. The company itself had been ridiculed for quite some time, but determined to keep it's legacy going, they turned to new methods that satisfied the citizens. Although the recent system of energy production was not clearly defined, most accepted it as a new technological advancement that would no longer be harmful and tyrannical, and the company quickly regained its former prime.

Tifa didn't know, didn't care, as long as they weren't using Mako so blatantly as before.

Cloud had reinstated a position with the Shinra SOLDIER military group. Appointed as one of the main leaders in his battalion, he became responsible for the training and management of his force. His personality often gave him away though. Although he hated Shinra, he missed his friend, even after all the years since his death. Working with Shinra again was his way of remembering the hero he had once known. That, and the handsome paycheck he got at the end of every month.

"Cold," Tifa shivered and turned off the water tap. The bar was quiet without the hums of energy left in the room.

Grabbing the broom, Tifa began to sweep the floor. She swept around the counter bumping into the bar stools and tables. As she turned around the corner she looked into the pictures that hung on the side wall. An old picture of Cloud and Tifa, another of the kids, a full frame of all their friends, their faces spread in the happiest smiles. Tifa looked deeply into the photos, absorbing all the adventures they had, once upon a time.

Sephiroth, defeated.

Memories, restored.

Everything, normal?

Yes. Tifa nodded to herself, "7th Heaven," she quoted the name of the bar which became Cloud's, the kids' and her home, "It really is a heaven here."

...

There was a sudden bang at the door. Tifa snapped out of her daze.

"The door's open. Come in." she rang out cheerfully, putting the broom away and quickly clearing out the washed dishes, expecting the customer to enter the bar.

However, there was not another sound outside. Whoever was at the door did not come in. Tifa arched her eyebrows and slowly walked to the door, feeling for the leather gloves she kept in her back pocket, always prepared for combat.

"Hello?" she called out quietly and slipped on the gloves tightly, fitting them around her wrists.

When there was no answer, she lightly tapped the door open with her foot. The streets were mostly empty, but the steps that led to the bar was not.

A man was lying face down on the stone stairs. One hand was slightly reached upward as if attempting to knock on the door. His hair was a mess and his attire resembled a uniform of SOLDIER. The colour of his shirt was immediately recognized as a high rank from the Shinra military. Without a doubt, the man was mostly likely a first class. The upper parts of his arms were covered with both fresh and dried blood. Cuts and bruises were everywhere and one of the wrists had been apparently sprained. There was a large, deep gash across his back. Thick blood oozed from the wound and soaked his clothes.

"Oh my .." Tifa breathed. She tucked her fingers under his chin, trying to feel for a pulse. There was only a vague beat, and even so, she could already feel wet blood trickling on her own hand. She flipped him over, keeping his head tilted on the side, securing his broad shoulders in place, fearing his weak state would drag him down the rest of the stairs. The front of his body revealed even more injuries: a deep cut on the side of his neck, a stab to his stomach, and a gun shot wound around his ankle.

Tifa turned and lifted his head from the side. The sight of his face made her nearly drop him.

He looked just like Zack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"I came back as soon as I could."

Tifa nodded and helped slide off Cloud's heavy coat as he hopped off his motorcycle. It was almost dinner time when the low rumble of Fenrir's engines could be heard outside the bar. He glanced sideways at the dark-haired bartender and put a reassuring hand on her delicate, bare shoulders. She returned a small smile to him, but her brows furrowed with stress.

The blonde mercenary thudded up the five steps that led up to the bar with Tifa walking slowly behind him. Marlene and Denzel waved a silent greeting to him as he entered. They were sitting neatly around one of the many wooden tables in the room, eating their supper. Tifa breathed in and wiped her hands on her black apron. Cloud noted this gesture as a response to nervousness. He again placed a firm hand on her shoulders, then nodded and turned his attention to the stairs that led up to the second floor. After what seemed like forever, he slowly started his way up quietly. Cloud felt an uneasy atmosphere surround him and his heart pounded away at his chest. Absentmindedly his fingers crept behind him, feeling for the thick, roped handle of his buster sword, Zack's buster sword.

He stopped halfway up the stairs when a cold hand reached for his. Looking down at Tifa, he could see the concern in her wild, ruby eyes. She was holding him from the sword. Cloud let go of the handle, extended his gloved hand to Tifa's and continued up.

...

The black haired man was lying stiffly, still unconscious, on the guestroom bed, his face slightly angled to the side. His breath came out rapidly in short, frail wisps of air. And every now and then, a painful grunt would escape his pale lips.

"Poor guy.." Tifa mumbled, feeling a rising fever on his temples.

Tifa had slid a pillow just above his lower back, making sure the deep cut in between his shoulders was elevated. She had bandaged his mass of cuts, and somehow, although she didn't know how, stopped the bleeding from the wound on the side of his neck.

Tifa had removed his shirt to get a better look at his stomach's stab wound. As she did, she could see his rib cage sitting prominently on his chest in between his irregular breathing. In other words, he was skinny as hell; and she wondered if he ever had a proper meal to begin with. Turning her attention back to the wound, she noticed that it had begun to show signs of infection. But even though Tifa had applied nearly all of the half-melted infection lotion from her makeshift first aid kit to his injury, he didn't flinch. He was completely out, completely unconscious, numb to anything that touched him. After all the bloody chaos of clothes and bandages, Tifa wiped off the remaining dry blood still on his arms and face and slipped one of Cloud's old t-shirts on his thin body.

...

There he was.

Cloud's heart beat a violent rhythm.

The moon was shining brightly through the window and illuminated the man's face with it's haunting blue-white glow. The street lamp outside hummed monotonously, acting as the only source of sound in the entire bar.

Zack. Cloud's best friend, dead? Or not?

The two studied the sleeping man intensely.

With messy, but shorter black, raven hair and beautifully carved features, he was handsome and without a doubt, an exact replica of Zack Fair. His shoulders were broad, like Zack's; but instead of bulging muscles, two thin, yet built arms joined his frame. And unlike the Zack that Cloud had imprinted into his mind, the man lying before him had a slightly rounder face; less angular or sharp, and more child-like, giving him a young, youthful presence. Yet, despite these differences and the minor cuts on his forehead and cheeks, he truly looked like a copy of Zack, if not Zack himself. He could even pass for a clone. But when he opened his eyes, it did not hold the colour of mako that both Cloud and Tifa had expected, but a hard, dark grey-blue.

Suddenly he bolted up.

"Where's she?!" he hollered out. He had a smooth, flowy voice that would have captivated anyone's attention. Yet, his voice leaked out genuine distress, agitation, and confusion. "Where's she? She was with me the whole time!"

The pain from his wounds caught up to him and he fell backwards into the mountain of pillows behind him, paralyzed with the agony of his injuries. His eyes darted around the room, panicked, but at the same time, relieved. He focused intently on the two staring at him and gripped the bed sheets nervously until his knuckles turned white.

"Zack?" Cloud questioned uncertainly. "Is that you?"

The stranger was struggling to sit up, his eyebrows arched as he pulled himself upright.

"Is it really you, Zack?" Tifa repeated Cloud's question.

Trying to speak, the familiar man touched his neck, feeling the long gauze that had been carefully placed at the side of his throat. When his fingers momentarily brushed on top of the bandage, he winced.

"You know... my brother?" he croaked.

"Zack had a brother?" Tifa trilled, mildly shocked.

Cloud frowned and walked over to the bed, pulled up a chair and sat next to their visitor. Without warning, he clutched his fingers into a fist, and jammed a powerful blow at the man lying in bed. He reached up and grasped the bottom of the boy's chin, just above the cut on his neck.

"I don't like to be fooled, Zack." Cloud responded repulsively, disappointed that the look-a-like was not his former friend.

Tifa pulled the blonde's hand away and firmly griped his shoulder. Whether it was Zack, his brother, a clone, or a complete hoax, this man had been seriously injured and she didn't want to see him bleed again, not to mention, waste her efforts of cleaning and bandaging him up. She fixated deeply into Cloud's eyes, etching each thought into his mind, forcing him to understand.

The dark-haired man rubbed at his neck, trying to breathe after Cloud's aggressive move.

Cloud turned away and left the room abruptly, shooting a dangerous glare at the stranger on his way out.

"Don't mind him," Tifa awkwardly started, pouring a glass of water from the pitcher next to the bed.

"My name's Tifa. What's your name?"

He coughed violently before whispering an answer.

"Rion."

"Zack never mentioned he had a brother," Tifa continued.

"He's doesn't know."

...

* * *

_Author's note:_

_First of all, thanks so much for everyone's views on my first chapter! This is my first attempt at fanfiction, and it gave me a lot of encouragement to see the amount of views less than an hour after my publication. As always, reviews/comments/criticisms are welcomed and deeply appreciated! _

_Extra side note:_

_I intended the name, "Rion" to be read as "Ree-on". But everyone has their own interpretations on how to pronounce it, so Rion is opened to whatever you want to call him!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_"Hey."_

_"Hmm?"_

_"I need to tell you a secret."_

_"A secret?"_

_"Yeah."  
_

_"Ok. What is it?"_

_"Here, come closer."_

_"Oh come on, there's nobody around to hear you."_

_"Shhh!"_

_"What?"_

_"Just come closer, dammit."_

_As he leaned closer, the girl pushed herself up, stood on tiptoe, and lightly kissed him on his lips._

_"Hey!"_

_His eyes sparked opened and stared back into her's with surprise. Well, moderate surprise. She giggled. Her voice tingled like tiny silver wind chimes that naughty little children would run their hands through. It was, perhaps, the most beautiful sound he could have ever heard in his whole life._

_He grabbed her waist and pulled her down with him as they sat on the grass, still thick with the scent of the summer evening. Draping an arm around her shoulders he gently pushed her head to the empty spot between his shoulder and chin. The two, in each other's embrace, stared out at the vast, open air around them. It was pitch dark, only a sliver of moon. _

_He turned his neck and rested his chin above her head. She closed her eyes, listening to his pulse, feeling the warmth radiating from his body. Even though it was a hot night, she knew that without him there, it would be colder than ice._

_"Maybe you don't have a secret..but I do.." he muttered, half to himself._

_"Hmm?"_

_"I have to tell you something," he replied, his voice, uncertain and hesitant. "But you'll have to come closer though, if you wanna hear."_

_She smiled and lifted her head from his shoulder. He whispered something in her ear and laughed when her eyebrows arched in confusion._

_"I didn't hear you say anyth.."_

_He took her chin gently and kissed her. It was a long and silent kiss. He slowly lowered his hand until it reached the base of her neck, feeling her warm skin, her beating pulse. Eyes still closed, he lowered his lips, kissing down her neck, barely touching her collar bone._

_Although his own heart was fluttering, and the girl's dress strap was hanging down exposing the fair skin of her chest, guilty thoughts wracked his mind. His face was burning and hot tears filled the back of his eyes as he realized he'd avoid telling her the secret that he had intended to reveal. But to suppress and hide himself, before his guilt gave him away, he, almost violently, unbuttoned his own shirt, still kissing his lover, hoping his fiery behaviour would be thought of as a sudden thirst for love-making._

_..._

_The evening cooled significantly, and the two soon found themselves wrapped up in their clothes again. There were few stars in the sky, but the ones that were there shown with their brightest force._

_"I wish we didn't have to go home," she whispered._

_He turned away from her, hiding a frown. __Silence consumed them once again, but his mind was busy. He hadn't even noticed that he had begun to sweat until a small handkerchief dabbed away at his forehead. He turned back to her direction, closing his hand over her fingers._

_"Then, let's not."_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Tifa tapped the half opened door with her foot, lugging in a tray of lunch into the guestroom.

The boy named "Rion", as Tifa referred to in her mind with quotations, was weaker than she thought. No sooner had they started a decent conversation yesterday night, he suddenly seized up and fell backwards into the bed, unconscious. _His injuries shouldn't have been responsible for that, _she had thought. But it suddenly dawned on Tifa that he could have, perhaps, been infected with geostigma before. The disease had been cured, but many in Midgar reported odd side affects after being exposed to Aerith's healing rain: headaches, nausea, other...could Rion's predicament be the same?

Afraid that their guest was still sleeping, she quietly made her way in. Instead she was surprised. Just as Tifa entered the room, Rion, who had been sitting up in bed suddenly arched back and slammed his head, full force into the wall behind him.

"What are you doing?!" Tifa exclaimed, quickly dumping the tray of food onto a side table and rushing to Rion's side.

Tifa looked into his face. Beads of sweat formed near his hairline. Pale lips, face scrunched up painfully. His body shook violently and a deep purple showed under his eyes and grey on his cheeks. Rion half-opened his eyes then repeated his action again. His neck wound started to bleed.

"What the hell are you...stop it!" Tifa yelled out, frustrated. She pushed him down into the pillows and wrestled him, forcing him to stay down. Taking a towel from the table she pressed it bruisingly to his neck, soaking up the blood. Rion was shaking out of control.

Rion grabbed onto Tifa's wrists, trying to yank them away from him.

"What's gotten into you?!" Tifa lashed out angrily. She hunched over like she was gutting a fish, struggling to keep the garment against his neck. Blood spewed out everywhere, staining the bed sheets and clothes. He was clearly on a rage.

"I'm fine."

The bartender brushed aside a piece of her stray hair and found herself staring into Rion's cold eyes. The colour of his face returned to normal and he smiled weakly. He didn't say a word, but turned his attention to the window with a blank grin, plastered on his face. It was Spring, alright. The trees were beginning to grow leaves again.

Tifa was panting. Slowly she eased the towel away from the bleeding mess. She turned to the bathroom and came back with a wet towel, wiping away the blood and cleaned the drying clot. Her hands were stiff, trying to keep calm, both scared and angry at Rion's sudden behaviour.

"Say, that guy. He doesn't like me much, huh?"

It took Tifa a few moments before she realized that he was talking about Cloud.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. Just that, he's ..been through a lot," she replied cautiously.

He was silent again, then frowned. Slightly agitated, he slammed his fist on the bed. The flow of blood quickly appeared on his forearm and it showed through the bandages, threatening to leak out.

Tifa was ready to reprimand him for that but he interrupted her before she could get her words out.

"He works for Shinra, doesn't he?"

"Yeah..but -"

"Anyone who works under Shinra, wears Shinra's clothes, brands the Shinra name, is a fucking asshole. They all deserve to die," each word he spoke thundered and stabbed.

"You can't say that. Not all Shinra people are bad. Cloud isn't, Zack isn't," Tifa argued.

Tifa remembered the SOLDIER uniform he had been wearing when she had first found him, sprawled out on the bar steps yesterday. She was turning red, frustrated she pointed a finger at him. "You work for them too. You have no right to say that."

He winced at her statement. "I've never worked for them!" he shouted. "And I'll _never_ work for them."

He glared at Tifa fiercely, like a wild animal trapped in a cage. His expression was cold, stone hard, ready to kill. Tifa could see small tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He was biting down his lip hard, refusing to let the tiny drops of emotion fall. Lifting his head, he stared at the ceiling, as if trying to push the tears back into his eyes. He opened his mouth, gulping for air; as he did, his chest rose frailly.

Silence.

Tifa turned away from him, as he did, staring out the window again.

"Sorry."

Tifa turned back to face him, but found him drifting out of consciousness. She studied his sleeping face, his thin arms, his lengthy body. Suddenly he didn't look quite so young anymore. He looked tired, very tired, and defeated.

He was mumbling something to himself. Tifa leaned over to try and make out the words he was saying, but realized that it was only a staggering breath that escaped his lips. His face flustered with cold sweat and in a moment, he was completely out again. Tifa stood, towering over the sleeping boy, unsure of what to do. Gently, she adjusted him back into a comfortable position on the bed, then drew in the curtains so that it was dark enough. She reached for the alarm clock sitting next to the bed and pulled out the cord. Oddly, with the power supposedly out, the clock still worked. Tifa fussed over the wires, binding them into a tight knot and stuffed them into her apron pocket.

Tifa picked up the lunch tray, staring into the cooling food, then decided that she would leave it where it was instead. She slipped back into the hallway from the guestroom, but not before touching the oddly shaped scar she had noticed, one that resembled a faded version of the Shinra logo, cut deeply just underneath Rion's wrist on his right arm.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next day, Tifa found Rion sitting up in bed, staring bleakly at the open window next to him. The breeze gently blew back his black hair. He sat with his arms folded neatly on his lap. Another one of Cloud's old t-shirts rested on his body. He was tranquil, and calm, unlike the day before. His mouth was drawn in a tight smile, the angles of his jaw seemed to poke out of the fragile layer of his cheeks.

He turned when he saw Tifa enter, the hospitable new friend who had taken him in to her home, cared for him...and he repaid his host with a hot temper.

Tifa pulled a chair and sat next to him. She put her hand to his forehead, feeling his fever subside.

"How are you doing today?" she asked gently.

"Listen -"

"I have a bowl of porridge for you downstairs."

"Tifa, I -"

The bartender got up from her seat and turned to leave the room.

"Tifa, I'm sorry. About yesterday," Rion blurted out. Tifa froze, her back still turned from him. Slowly she heaved a sigh, turned around and flashed a forgiving grin.

"It's alright," she laughed, placing her hands on her hips.

Rion looked down to his hands, his fingers traced over the Shinra logo engraved under his wrist. Rubbing her hands together, Tifa walked back to the bed and sat on the side of it as Rion moved over to make more room.

"Cloud's at work. The kids are out. It's only the two of us now." Tifa spoke softly.

She was answered with a confused expression.

"So, think it's time you tell me your story?"

Rion looked into Tifa's eyes, trusting, friendly eyes.

"Yeah."

...

With time, Rion's health gradually returned. He spent less time in bed, and more time walking up and down the stairs. He still hobbled, but he knew his leg injuries would take longer to heal. Feeling easier to walk each day, encouraged him tremendously.

Cloud refused to interact with Rion, at all costs. After the day Zack's brother was allowed to live in their home, Cloud returned to his normal, quiet self. If not, maybe a little quieter.

Nearly a month had gone by since Rion's coming, but even though there was now an extra plate at the dinner table, and another toothbrush in the bathroom, the blond soldier did nothing to acknowledge their new tenant. The boy was simply non-existent, at least in his mind. Yet, Cloud always let Rion have his chance at the vegetables when he ate slowly, and waited patiently while their guest occupied the bathroom. Still, Cloud showed no interest in conversation.

Ignorance was Cloud's only option. Yet, he couldn't keep his mind off of their visitor. It pained him to see a walking, breathing 'Zack' in his house, only it wasn't actually Zack. The black haired chum he had so admiringly worshiped, was dead, gone, and nobody could take his place, not even his younger brother. It bothered him that Rion's appearances resembled too much like Zack's. This angered him and Cloud preoccupied himself with his work at Shinra, trying to forget about the look-alike living in the room next to his at 7th Heaven.

...

Tifa knew she was not a morning person.

Shuffling sleepily down the stairs, Tifa put her hands to her ears, trying to suppress the annoying ticking from the wall clock, forcing herself away from her bad mood. Even though it was already late morning, to her, it felt as if she had just begun to sleep when the loud, obnoxious buzzing of the digital clock woke her up. Everything got on her nerve today.

When she had reached the last step of the stairs, her feet momentarily touched the part of the floorboard that creaked. Somehow, this irritated her, and she turned to the wall beside her, giving it a nasty kick, making sure the dirt on her boots made an ugly mark on its smooth surface.

"Uh...you..ok?"

Tifa turned her head abruptly to the counter, surprised by the voice.

"Oh, uh yeah. Mornings aren't really my thing," she answered Rion sheepishly.

Rion nodded and poked at the soggy cereal clumping in the bowl in front of him.

Tifa stretched her eyes open, trying to make herself awake. With one swift move, she was at the door, putting the sign up. She returned to the counter to pour herself a bowl of cereal just as the door swung open, no more than a few seconds, literally, after she placed the [Open] sign on the glass.

"Yo!"

The door stood wide open. Tifa shielded her eyes as a gust of sandy wind entered the bar. She could barely see anything from the film of dirt and sand, but she didn't need to see who it was to know who it was. She could recognize that sly voice anywhere.

"Goddamn, shut the door!" Tifa yelled.

Obediently, the door was shut. Tifa opened her eyes. Spiky red hair tickled her forehead. Reno's face was so close to hers that she could smell the shampoo from his hair and the cheap cologne wafting off his shirt.

"Heeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy! Long time no see!" Reno smiled, spreading his arms wide to give her a hug.

Tifa shrugged him away and pushed him aside. Right behind him stood the Turk's partner, Rude, and his famous sunglasses. Rude smoothed his bald head with his gloved hand before clearing his throat.

"Nice to see you, Rude," Tifa offered.

After a long pause, the bald Turk lowered his sunglasses and looked over the rim.

"Likewise," he grunted.

"What the,"

Tifa and Rude turned their attention to Reno, who circled like a vulture, around the black haired boy eating at the counter.

Rion averted his eyes.

"What have you been up to Tif? Cloning dead people?" Reno laughed, his eyes still attached to the Zack look-alike, amazed at the similarity Rion's features had, compared with the late SOLDIER. He stuck out a bony finger and poked Rion's face. "Whoa, and he's real too."

Unexpectedly, Rion pulled the finger close to him, then grabbed Reno's wrist and twisted it in a lightning flash speed. The sound of cracking knuckles echoed in the room.

Rude smirked.


End file.
